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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 11 Feb 2008
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Lightbulb beggar or not beggar
I was wondering how you guys answer the beggars while travelling,for me I try not to promote begging, I do give sometime to some individual but I do prefer to give food to street beggar, I am pretty much avoiding to give money especially to kids. In some countries I willingly give money to kids or adults if they do provid a service or sale some useless "stuff or art".I also give money to old people which I know cannot work ,I guess this depends also on continent, so far the worst was in some part of Africa (sometime north africa kids get a bit pushy), I will soon be going to India and will have a new experience at this level.

Share you experience at this level.
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  #2  
Old 11 Feb 2008
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Allah kareem
Quote:
Originally Posted by HendiKaf View Post
Share you experience at this level.
Obviously, we each make individual decisions about who we give to. In Arabic speaking countries, when you don’t want to give, simply say ‘Allah kareem’ meaning ‘God is generous’, i.e. ‘God will look after you’, which cannot be refuted by a believer.
Stephan
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  #3  
Old 11 Feb 2008
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Never ever give to children!

In most cases the parents sent them out to beg and the only way to stop this is by not giving them anything. And not using services provided by child labour.

I know that in some places they need to work for the family to survive, but in many places the parents keep the children out of school so they can work or beg.

But again you must choose your battles. I never give at turist destinations, but in "normal" foreign cities I give.
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  #4  
Old 11 Feb 2008
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I only give food. Once in a while if I am in an area that I think is very poor I will stop at a cheap bakery and buy a lot of bread to give away. Usually people take it, but sometimes they are insulted that you think they are poor and get mad.

The good thing about bread is that it is cheap and goes a long way in feeding people. It is also perishable so you know that it is not going to be sold for alcohol/smokes.
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  #5  
Old 12 Feb 2008
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The worst, of course, is when you give a beggar food and they look at you as if you had just served them up a turd burger and toss it on the ground. Worst, I say, because you've just wasted perfectly good food, not to mention given your philanthropic ideals a bit of a dent.
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  #6  
Old 12 Feb 2008
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Other people's problems are just that.

Hard? Maybe. I try not to give - not out of meanness but prefering not to interfere with the natural way of things in the country I am passing through.

If one sees you giving something that makes them more persistant. I once gave a few shillings to a poor wretched looking cripple in Kenya, only, as I walked away, to hear his cries as other beggars robbed him of them.

Depending on the circumstances I sometimes will do a deal with kids that if they watch my bike, and it is OK when I return, I say I will give them something. And I do!
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